Collapsible display and/or greeting card



June 23; 1959 R; SELLMER v 2,891,336 COLLAPSIBLE DISPLAY AND/OR GREETING CARD Filed May 27, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet '1 v &"- INVE'NTOR I RICHARD SELLM ER PATENT AGENT June 23, 1959 Y R. SELLMER 91 COLLAPSIBLE DISPLAY AND/OR GREETING CARD Filed May 27, 1957 I 2 Shets-Shet z y INVENTO'R RICHARD SELLMER I PATENT AGENT r 2,891,336 Patented June 23, 1959 COLLAPSIBLE DISPLAY AND/R GREETING CARD I .Richard Sellmer, Stuttgart-Kohl, Germany Application May 27,1957, Serial No. 661,658

2 Claims. (Cl. KL-124.1)

It is another object of this invention to provide a novel greeting card structure with means for releasably locking the components thereof in display position.

It is afurther object of this invention to provide an improved multi-component greeting card in which the components may be interengaged in a simple and eflicient manner.

Still further objects and the entire scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter; it should be understood, however, that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of-the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and. scope of the invention will .become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 shows a front plan view of one embodiment of a greeting or Christmas card assembly according to the present invention in display position;

Figure 2 shows a top view of the greeting card assembly of Figure 1 in collapsed condition;

Figure 3 shows a top view of the assembly shown in Figure l in display position and illustrates the manner of interconnecting the components;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4-4 in Figure 1, and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 5 is a front view of a portion of one of the components of the greeting card assembly;

Figure 6 is a front view of another component of the greeting card assembly;

Figure 7 is a front view of a structural element of the greeting card assembly;

Figure 8 illustrates a fragmentary plan view of a modified embodiment of the invention.

Referring in more detail to the drawings and particularly to Figures 1 to 5 thereof, a center or main part 11 of the greeting card assembly is provided with a pair of left and right wing portions 12 and 13, respectively. These wing portions 12 and 13 are extending from the sides of the center or main part 11 and are foldable along creases 14 and 15. The front surfaces of the main part 11 and of the wing portions 12 and 13 may be decorated with scenes, figures and illustrations appropriately colored and disposed to emphasize the motif of a holiday season, such as the Yuletide season, or the like. This main part 11 and the wing portions 12 and 13 may be obtained by laminating superimposed sheets 16 and 17 (see Figure 3) of paper, cardboard, plastic, or other suitable materials, and joining them by means of glue, cement or the like.

The front sides of the main part 11 and of the wing portions 12 and 13 facing the viewer are provided with a plurality of hinged flaps which are formed by cutting through all but a predetermined amount of the perimeter of certain figures in the front sheet 16. For instance, a portion of the perimeter of each of the door-like or window-like figures 21, 22 and 23 in Figure 1 is severed in the front sheet 16 in order to permit outward movement of these Windows or doors illustrated at 22a in Figure 3. The uncut portion of the perimeter of these figures functions as a hinge in each case.

The front side of the sheet 17 bears suitable illustrations of scenes and figures which register with the hinged portions cut in the front sheet 16 and concealed by the windows or doors 21, 22 and 23 when the latter are closed. In open position of these doors and windows, the illustrations become visible to the viewer,

The main member or part 11 is provided at its center with a distensible flap 18 obtained by cutting through the two superimposed sheets 16 and 17 along two parallel horizontal slit lines 19 and 20 close to the top edge, as shown in Figure 1. Furthermore, a pair of spaced vertical slots 24 and 25 extends from the lower edge of the main part 11 to about A of its height, as illustrated in Figure 5.

According to Figures 1 and 6, a foldable supporting member 26 engaging the main part 11 is adapted to lend the latter the necessary support and rigidity when the greeting card in display condition is placed on a substantially horizontal supporting surface. This foldable member 26 includes a vertical front or center portion 35 provided with hinged doors, i.e., church doors, 28 and 29, and a top portion 36 representing in the present embodiment the slanting roof of a church. Each of these doors may be formed by severing a limited portion of the periphery thereof, and using the remaining portion as a hinge, in the manner explained in the foregoing. The top portion 36 has an upwardly extending tab 27 representing the belfry and steeple of a church and is adapted to be passed through the parallel slits 19 and 20 provided in the main part 11, so that this tab 27 will be engaged by the distensible flap 18 defined thereby, when the card is assembled, as shown in Figures 1 and 3.

A pair of notched wing members, 30 and 31 are foldably secured to the left and right edges of the center or front portion 35, respectively, along creases 38 and 39, respectively, and are adapted to extend rearwards at right angles with respect to the center portion 35, when the card is assembled (see Figures 3 and 4).

Figure 6 shows the member 26 as unfolded blank prior to assembling of the card. According to this figure, the Wing members 30 and 31 are provided with vertical slots 32 and 33, respectively. Further vertical slots 40 and 41, extending from the top edges of the wing members 30 and 31, respectively, downwards to about half of their height, are provided for joining the member 26 to the part 11, as will be explained hereinafter.

The notched wing members 30 and 31 are secured in the position according to Figures 3 and 4 by means of a rear member 34 illustrated as a blank in Figure 8. Side tabs 37 and 38 of this rear member 34 are adapted to extend through the vertical slots 32 and 33 in the wing members 30 and 31 lending them structural support when the card is in display position (see Figure 3).

The greeting card according to the present invention may be readily assembled by first folding the notched wing members 30 and 31 from the flat position shown in Figure 6 backwards, aligning the slots 24 and 25 of the main part 11 with the slots 40 and 41, respectively, of the wing members 30 and 31, respectively, by interengagement at these slots (see Figures 1, 3 and 4) and then joining the part 11 to the wing members 30 and 31. Thereafter, the tabs 37 and 38 of the rear member 34 are inserted in the vertical slots 32 and 33 provided in the respective wing members 30 and 31. The card preassembled in this manner can be folded, as shown in Figure 2 for storing and/or m'ailing, whereby the slots 24 and 25 40 and 41, 32 and 33 act like hinges.

The above operation may be modified by first assembling the rear member 34 and then joining the part 11 to the member 26.

When, finally, the card according to the invention is to be brought from the folded position in Figure 2 to the display position of Figures 1, 3 and 4, the tab 27, which is folded downwards in Figure 2 about a horizontal crease 42 (see Figure 6), is unfolded and passed through the slots 19 and 20 of the distensible flap 18, whereby the assembly is locked. The top portion or roof 36 assurhes the slanting position of a real roof, because the tab 27 is in the plane of the main part 11, while the center portion 35 is in front thereof spaced about half the width of the wing members 30 and 31. The card in this display position constitutes a rather rigid structure which can be placed on any suitable base, whereby the wing poitions 12 and 13 are preferably set at an angle with respect to the plane of main part 11, as shown in Figure 3. As a result of the provision of openings representing columns, arches, or like features of a building or appendages thereto, in the part of the main member 11 which is between the wing members 30 and 31 of doors, i.e., church doors 28 and 29, to be opened on the center portion 35 and suitable illustration or ornamentation on the front surface of the rear member 34, a three-dimensional visual effect is obtained.

In the embodiment according to Figure 8, a single horizontal slit 43 rather than two parallel slits 19 and 20, as in Figure 1, is provided in the main part 11 and the tab 27 is passed through this single slit 43.

I claim:

1.A collapsible display card assembly comprising a main member, a rear member parallel to said main memher and having side tabs, a front member being of smaller Width than said main member, said front member '4 being disposed substantially parallel thereto and having wing members at both 'sides, each of said wing members being provided with a vertical slot, said Wing members being substantially parallel to one another and folded backwards at an angle with respect to said front member, said rear member being disposed between said wing members so that said side tabs extend through said slots in said wing members, said wing members and said main member having pairs of aligned slots cooperating with one another and respectively extending from opposite edges of said members, so that respectively opposite members are 'interenga'ged at said latter slots, said front and said main members having openings representing features of a building including appendages thereto in the respective planes of said -members, said rear member being visible through said openings, an upwardly slanting portion of said front member engageable with said main member to reenforce the card when in display position and to represent a roof of said building, and means "on "the outer end 'of said upwardly slant ing portion for detachably engaging said main member.

2. A collapsible display card assembly according to claim 1, wherein said main member is provided close to its top'with-at least one substantially horizontal slit, and

wherein said detachably engaging means on said outer end of's'aid slanting portion comprises an upwardly extending tab which may be inserted into said slit.

References Cited in the-file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,301,797 Ziegler Apr. 22, 19.19 1,457,306 Kellogg June 35, 1923 1,463,585 Kellogg July 31, 1923 1,678,521 Mitchell July 24, 1928 2,322,260 Thurston June 22, 1943 2,440,062 Allen Apr. 20, 1948 2,586,071 Manen 'Ma'yol Feb. 19, 1952 2,711,038 "Snider et a1 June 21, 1955 

